[ video] Sauls, N.- Prelude on a theme of Chopin (out of print 1990's)

[visitor]

add'l info in video description box. May go in later and add a composer bio. I believe this was published in early 90's but quickly went out of print. I don't believe there are any recordings of this on yt so was happy to add this to the archives for other folks' reference and discovery.

Based on one of my favorite Chopin preludes.
 
Really enjoyed learning this and there is so many diffetent ways to play it but shot  a quick take  on this to mark the assignment complete and on to the next (I have to focus on some assigned Brahms so am happy to clear it from my music stand).

Made some effective changes to enhance and improve the room acoustics and recording conditions on this so was glad the tweaks I made came through better than a previous upload  made a while back.

[outin]

The original is not my favorite, this is a little better. The player certainly sounds and looks cool!

[visitor]

The original is not my favorite, this is a little better. The player certainly sounds and looks cool!

wow, haha thanks so much for watching and compliment!

I admit it took a while for this piece to grow on me, I actually sort of like the original except that the source material seems more like a fragment. But the composer manges to keep thing a little more interest w some creative harmonic transfomation. I really dig her style 

I think Chopin would have been quite the closet jazzer. His pieces lend themselves so well to this kind of sprucing up.

already working on the next "Chopin de Jazz" lol,  stay tuned for more 

[ronde_des_sylphes]

  Amusing with some cool harmonies.

Next up, Doucet's Chopinata?

[visitor]

Amusing with some cool harmonies.

Next up, Doucet's Chopinata?

Thank you so much taking time time to watch/listen and weigh in! I know how busy your schedule is these days, so means a lot you stopped in!
And amusing indeed that's exactly what I thought the first time I read through it, I came in with one eyebrow raised but those juicy/spicy chords are so unexpected but they work work somehow. It  was a real pain to memorize, the chords don't follow what I  expected/odd progression and unconventional  voice-leading it seemed to me,.

I've always found the three main Doucet parodies/homages charming in their own way. The Chopinata gets the most play as some high profile artists have done it in concert (btw although the Hamelin is most famous one, however the Yeol Eum Son and Alexadre Tharaud are my favorite renditions of it). I would love to attempt these someday, they make for great icebreakers or encore type stuff, little bon bons to enjoy around some of the heavier stuff.  

on Doucet,
The other two don't get as much play and it's too bad, i think the trio as a set are effective, ie for those that read this and aren't familiar here is Hungaria sur des motif de Liszt and Wagneria sur les motifs de Wagner  

bonus 4th one, Isoldina

5th more Lisztian

[rachfan]

Hi visitor,

I enjoyed hearing your rendition of this "Chopin de Jazz".  Sounds like there are plentiful chords containing many accidentals -- sharps and flats -- creating some lush dissonances on the way to harmonious resolutions.  Memorizing this piece must be quite difficult! Good work.

Your attention to the room acoustics was prudent too.  There was a noticeable improvement.

(If anyone is wondering, Chopin's own original is his Prelude Op. 28, No. 7 in A.)

David

[visitor]

Hi David , many thanks for your kind words and time you took to listen.

I am glad some of the lessons learned in prev. attempts to adapt to room acoustic conditions came through a bit more....
 I will keep tinkering w this.

Yes given the idiom is somewhat new to me (I have played  rhythm piano in a stage jazz band a long time ago, and i did some study on jazz influenced and classical fusions works before, but its still pretty new to me), i  am taking lessons from this to my new work as i unpack this series i am creating for myself as supplement study to my assigned traditional repertoire.

hope to keep growing and developing  my skill set for this enjoyable modern style

thanks again for your feedback and encouragement.